1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a modular jack assembly, and particularly to a stacked modular jack assembly having improved positioning means for facilitating assembling an electrical subassembly into an insulating housing thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
It is quite common to use modular jacks for the data transmission in high speed applications such as IEEE 802.3 10Base-T or 100Base-T local area networks. A common problem to these high speed modular jacks is their tendency to emit high frequency radiation. In order to allow only the necessary frequency bandwidth to pass for accurate communication, there is a need to provide means for suppressing undesirable noise.
Noise suppressors or signal conditioning components, such as common mode choke coils, are known in the art. The noise suppressors are mounted on a mother board on which the modular jack is seated. The noise suppressors are electrically connected with the modular jack by wires on the mother board. However, such signal conditioning components consume board real estate, which could otherwise be used for other circuitry. Furthermore, since the signal conditioning components are distant from the modular jack, the signal traces required to route the signals from the modular jack to the signal conditioning components degrade the signal integrity somewhat, thereby lowering the signal-to-noise ratio.
Stewart, headquartered in Glen Rock, Pa., posted an article, entitled xe2x80x9cMagJack Family of Modular Jacks with Integrated Magneticsxe2x80x9d on the Internet website address, http://www.stewartconnector.com/pdfs/magjkfypdf. This article introduces a series of magjack modular connectors each having integrated magnetic components housed within a jack body for protecting signals from internally and externally generated noise. Because the magnetic components are integrated into the jack itself, valuable board real estate is obviously saved.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,641, issued to Sakanmoto et al, discloses a modular jack assembly having an insulating housing and a printed circuit board assembly disposed within the housing. The printed circuit board assembly includes a printed circuit board containing common mode choke coils, and a plurality of contactors and terminals soldered with the printed circuit board. The contactors and terminals are electrically connected with the common mode choke coils by wires on the printed circuit board. The housing includes a base and a lid which are engaged by interlocked coupling. The base has a separator which divides the housing into first and second chambers. The printed circuit board with the common mode choke coils is mounted in the first chamber, and the contactors extend over the separator into the second chamber for engaging with a modular plug. The lid is then attached to the base, thereby encasing the printed circuit board assembly. However, because the housing is of two-piece configuration, positioning the printed circuit board assembly in the housing becomes complicated and time-consuming. In addition, due to different structure of the base and the lid, different molds are needed to manufacture them, thereby increasing the manufacturing cost.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,587,884 and 5,647,767, both assigned to The Whitaker Corporation, each disclose a modular jack assembly comprising an insulating housing and a printed circuit board assembly. The printed circuit board assembly includes a printed circuit board containing a choke coil for suppressing noise, and a plurality of terminals and leads soldered to the printed circuit board and electrically connected with the choke coil via traces on the printed circuit board. In order to position the printed circuit board assembly into the housing, an insert subassembly is employed. The insert subassembly includes front and rear insert members. The terminals are encapsulated in the front insert member. The leads and the printed circuit board are encapsulated in the rear insert member. The printed circuit board assembly can be positioned in the housing by partially inserting the insert subassembly into the housing. The front insert member has an interferential engagement with the housing. The rear insert member defines snap latches engaged with latches of the housing to hold the rear insert member in place. However, the insert subassembly is additionally fabricated for positioning the printed circuit board assembly, thereby increasing the manufacturing cost.
Hence, a modular jack assembly having improved positioning means is required to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a modular jack assembly having improved positioning means for facilitating assembling an electrical subassembly into an insulating housing thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a modular jack assembly having improved positioning means which can be easily formed, thereby saving the manufacturing cost.
In order to achieve the objects set forth, an electrical connector assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulating housing and an electrical subassembly disposed within the housing. The housing defines a receiving space in a rear face, and a plurality of grooves and a pair of offsetting recesses extending in a back-to-front direction beside the receiving space. The electrical subassembly includes first and second printed circuit boards each having a pair of side conductors soldered on opposite edges thereof, a pair of magnetic modules respectively connecting with the first and second printed circuit boards for suppressing noise, and a metal plate sandwiched between the magnetic modules. The metal plate has a pair of offsetting projections on opposite side edges thereof. When the electrical subassembly is assembled to the housing through the receiving space, the side conductors and the projections are respectively received in the grooves and the recesses, thereby ensuring the electrical subassembly being accurately inserted into the housing.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.